EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell assessed on Friday that there was a “slight improvement” in diplomatic relations with Russia during the G20 meeting in India, despite differences related to Ukraine, AFP and Agerpres reported.
On the sidelines of the G20 meeting, which ended without a joint communique on Thursday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken held a brief discussion with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, their first face-to-face meeting since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022.
Josep Borrell emphasized that the head of Russian diplomacy this time remained in the hall when the foreign ministers of the Western countries condemned the Russian invasion during the meeting.
Last year, during a preliminary meeting of G20 diplomats held in Indonesia, Sergey Lavrov left the meeting at noon after a wave of statements condemning the invasion of Ukraine.
“At least this time he stayed and listened. It’s a small but important improvement,” Borrell said at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi.
“I think it’s better than nothing,” Borrell added.
The head of European diplomacy rejects Russia’s exclusion from the G20 group
Josep Borrell also stated that he opposes the complete exclusion of Russia from the G20.
“Channels of discussion should be maintained, or at least listened to, if not debated,” he argued. Josep Borrell spoke out in favor of encouraging developing countries to resist the war, while saying he was aware of the consequences of the conflict, including higher prices for basic products.
In his opinion, during the G20 meeting, Sergey Lavrov accused the West of putting pressure on developing countries to oppose Russia.
Speaking at the Raizinsky Dialogue forum on Friday, Russia’s foreign minister spoke again about what he called the desire of Western countries to force Russia to suffer a “strategic defeat.”
“This, they claim, is an existential bet for the West in the context of world domination,” Lavrov said.
He also said that together with India, Russia wants “a fairer world order”.
Follow the latest events of the 373rd day of the war in Ukraine LIVETEXT on HOTNEWS.RO.
Source: Hot News
James Springer is a renowned author and opinion writer, known for his bold and thought-provoking articles on a wide range of topics. He currently works as a writer at 247 news reel, where he uses his unique voice and sharp wit to offer fresh perspectives on current events. His articles are widely read and shared and has earned him a reputation as a talented and insightful writer.